2017 Week 17: Worlds and sooooo much more!

I like to open each week with flowers. This time I couldn't resist borrowing Leah's photos of our little flower princess.

"Hair by Nature and Nana"

I am really enjoying the fields of yellow, almost hate to see them mowed away. No worries, the abundant rain has made mowing difficult. The bees also appreciate the delay.

New spring growth

Monday before the meal, we surveyed the two new buildings in progress. Stephan's Christmas gift to Karen was a writing cabin in the woods. He is still working on it and also setting up his work area for milling and assembling materials for their future timber frame house.

Tuesday early morning was Kristie's long-awaited surgery. She had suffered from a rare and painful condition for years. What the surgeon found proved the timeliness of the procedure. They were able to cut away all that was encasing the celiac artery and restricting the flow of blood (MALS). We are so grateful for a successful outcome.

The healing and pain control will take time, but so far the progress is on schedule. 

Many have stepped up to help with food and child care, and especially love and prayer. 

The other huge event of the week was the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) World Championship. Mike and the team traveled to St. Louis on Wednesday. (I left the next day with three others.)

The night I was alone, severe storms raged here, The power was out for a couple hours and trees blew down in our woods.

Our car load arrived in time for a couple qualifying matches and the opening ceremonies, one of the few times Michael could join me in the stands. 

Opening ceremnoy

These were very intense days for mentor/coach Mike and the drive team. When they were not on the field competing, they were back in the pit trying to fix the most recent malfunction or on the practice field testing the latest improvement.

Some of us were able to get away between matches to visit the famous Arch. I learned that it is the tallest monument in America! Do you know how high it is and what it conmemorates?

I watched the documentary and studied the wall depicting the construction of this amazing memorial.

Another fascinating attraction we visited Friday evening was the City Museum, an undescribably crazy place.

The multilevel eclectic playground/fun house was crowded with young people, robotics teams from all over. . . . and a few older folks like us.

But you probably want to know how our team fared at that level of competition. I will say that our wonderful robot did not perform as it had on its home field and suffered many setbacks. We did not make it to alliance selection like the last time two years ago, but we were the third pick of the team that has won several championships. Read more in this press release Muncie Robotics Team Competes in World Championships. You may also want to be reminded of our trip to Worlds two years ago, go here.

Meanwhile back in Indiana other important events were taking place.

Malachi and Lexi's senior prom

We traveled back Sunday and were just in time for Kayla's many dance students' recital. She danced with the adult tap class, led the younger classes either from on stage or from the front row, and acted with the Annie's themed musical theatre group's performance. Very impressive program!

Needless to say, we've been exhausted ever since, trying to catch up on sleep and chores, and now I am fighting a cold.